WRITERS' EXPERIENCE ITINERARY

PRAIRIE STATE COLLEGE

202 S. Halsted St. | Chicago Heights, IL 60411

Visitor Parking: Lot D 

Use Entrance M36 to Rotunda

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026

9:00 AM

Continental Breakfast

10:00 AM

Breaking In: Launching Your Writing Career

Sylvia L. Jones - Screenwriter / Documentary Filmmaker

The Chi | Power Book IV: Force | The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel

You want a career as a TV or film writer - but where do you start? Learn some of the best paths for breaking into the industry, even if you don't have Hollywood connections. From fellowships, assistant jobs and networking to getting your work in front of the right people, we'll break down practical ways to get noticed, build relationships and create opportunities that can move you from aspiring writer to working writer.

10:45 AM

Break

11:00 AM

Getting in the Door: Working with Hollywood Production Companies

Richard Foster-Shelton - Creative Executive, John Legend's Get Lifted Film Co.

What exactly does a production company do - and how can working with one help move your project from great idea to Hollywood deal?

Go behind the scenes to learn how production companies find and develop material, option books and other IP, package projects, attach talent and take TV and film projects to studios, networks and streamers.

Most importantly, discover how to get on their radar. What are they looking for? How should you approach them? What makes a book or concept worth pursuing? And what does collaboration really look like once they're interested?

Get an insider's look at how to approach, pitch and partner with Hollywood production companies - and position your project to get closer to a YES.

11:45 AM

Break

12:00 PM

Inside Hollywood: What's Selling, Who's Buying & How to Get Repped

Jon Kee - Literary Manager, Circle Management + Production

Get the real scoop straight from a Hollywood manager on where the industry is headed and what it means for writers right now. Find out what kinds of projects studios and streamers are actually greenlighting, what managers look for in new talent, and how to position yourself to land representation. Plus, learn how to build your career, make connections, and create momentum while you're still looking for the right rep.

1:00 PM

Lunch

2:00 PM

Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing: Which Path Is Right for You?

Katara Patton - Editor / Author of Eight Books

You've written the book - now how do you get it into readers' hands? Take an insider look at the pros, cons, opportunities and trade-offs of self-publishing versus landing a traditional publishing deal. Learn what publishers are really offering, what you may be giving up, what could be hiding in the fine print - and how much control you can keep by going it alone. Get the information you need to choose the publishing path that's right for your book, your goals and your career.

2:45 PM

Break

3:00 PM

IP (Intellectual Property) Bootcamp: Protect Your Story. Protect Your Work.

Joe Bogdan - Entertainment Attorney, Partner, Rimon, P.C.

Creating the project is only half the battle - protecting it is the other half. Before you pitch your screenplay, produce your film, or adapt your book for the screen, know your rights. Get a crash course in intellectual property and must-know tips to protect your work, avoid expensive mistakes, and keep control of what you create as you take your project from page to screen.

3:45 PM

Break

4:00 PM

Welcome to Set: How Production Really Works

RoseMary Prodonovich - General Manager, The Fields Studios

“Quiet on the set!” Now what?

Go behind the scenes and learn how a professional TV or film set really works. From set etiquette and production lingo to understanding who does what and why, get the inside scoop on how to show up prepared, work like a pro and make a great impression.

Explore the different jobs and career opportunities in production, how to get your foot in the door, and how to turn one opportunity into the next.

Whether you want to write, produce, direct - or simply understand how your words make it from the page to the screen - learn how to navigate a set, build relationships and make every moment on production count.

4:45 PM

Break

5:00 PM

Actors on Writers Roundtable

Sonja Sohn (Will Trent, The Wire)  |  Hannaha Hall (The Chi, Chicago Med)  |  Marie Tredway (Chicago Med)

Ever wonder what actors really want from writers? Stars from some of TV's hottest shows pull back the curtain on the actor-writer relationship and reveal what makes great material impossible to resist.

What grabs them on the page? What makes a character leap off the script? What makes them say YES to a role - or take a hard pass? And once the cameras roll, how can writers and actors work together to make a scene even better?

Get the unfiltered perspective from experienced actors on what writers can do to create characters actors are dying to play - and scripts they can't put down.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

9:00 AM

Continental Breakfast

10:00 AM

Inside the Studio: What Makes Hollywood Say Yes?

Susan Lewis - Studio Executive, Fox Consultant

Oversees current series including Best Medicine, Doc and Murder in a Small Town

What makes a studio buy a movie or series - and what gets a script noticed in the first place? Go inside the decision-making process with a studio executive who will reveal what executives look for in projects, writers and pitches; how scripts rise above the pile; and what happens after a project gets a “yes.” Get an insider's look at the development process from acquisition through notes, rewrites and production - and learn what you can do to make your work stand out in today's competitive marketplace.

11:00 AM

Don't Wait for a Green Light: Make Your Own Project

Bo Deal - Independent Filmmaker, Creator, Producer and Community Advocate

Tyrant: Like Father Like Son (Tubi)

Why wait for Hollywood gatekeepers to say “yes”? Hear from an independent filmmaker who took control of his career - creating, producing and bringing both a feature film and television series to market on his own terms. Learn what it takes to move from script to screen, assemble the right team, finance and produce your project, find an audience and create your own opportunities. Sometimes the best way into the business is to stop waiting for the door to open - and build your own.

12:00 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM

Pitch Like a Pro

Sylvia L. Jones - Screenwriter / Documentary Filmmaker

The Chi | Power Book IV: Force | The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel

In Hollywood, a great idea is only as good as your ability to sell it in the room. Whether you're pitching story ideas in a writers' room or taking your movie or series concept to producers and studio executives, pitching is an essential skill for every TV and film writer. Learn the structure, strategy, and must-hit beats Hollywood decision-makers expect - and how to deliver your ideas with clarity, confidence, and impact. Get them hooked. Keep them listening. Make your pitch impossible to ignore.

2:00 PM

Write Your Way into Unscripted

Craig J. Harris - Executive Producer / Head of Television Development

All Access PD: Grand Rapids (HBO Max) | Hoarders | First 48: Missing Persons | TLG Motion Pictures, A LeMarco Global Company

“Unscripted” doesn't mean it writes itself! Reality and documentary television still need great storytellers who know how to find the drama, shape compelling narratives, and turn real-life moments into must-watch TV. Go behind the scenes with a producer from hit shows including Hoarders and The First 48: Missing Persons to discover how unscripted stories are crafted - and how writers can break in, stand out, and build a career in this booming corner of television.

2:45 PM

Break

3:00 PM

Behind Closed Doors: Inside the Writers' Room

Kendra Chapman Davis (Power: Legacy, Power Book IV: Force, Designated Survivor)

Alison McKenzie (All American: Homecoming, Queen Sugar)

Ricardo Gamboa (The Chi)

What really happens inside a Hollywood writers' room?

Writers from hit shows including Power Book IV: Force, The Chi and All American: Homecoming pull back the curtain for a no-holds-barred conversation about what happens after those writers' room doors close.

From pitching ideas and breaking story to navigating personalities, politics and pressure, they'll reveal the spoken - and unspoken - rules of the room. Find out what gets you noticed, what can get you ignored, and how to contribute in a way that makes showrunners and fellow writers want you back.

No sugarcoating. No theory. Just working TV writers telling you what it really takes to enter the room, make an impact - and stay there.

4:00 PM

Mock Writers' Room: Take Your Seat at the Table

Ever wonder what it's really like inside a TV writers' room? Now's your chance to find out. Jump into a fun, fast-paced writers' room where you'll pitch ideas, break story, build a series and beat out an episode alongside fellow writers - with guidance and real-time feedback from working TV writers.

Learn how to pitch so people listen, build on someone else's idea, keep the story moving, navigate personalities and master the unwritten rules and etiquette of the room.

Bring your ideas. Find your voice. Take your shot. And learn how to work the room like you belong there.

5:30 PM

Final Thoughts + Q&A

Sylvia L. Jones

6:00 PM

Closing Reception